By The Seaside
by WritingTrash
Summary: Somewhere, in a secret sliver of the water’s edge, there’s a human who doesn’t belong in her world and an ocean prince.
1. Sanctuary

**So here's a mermaid AU, I like this AU.. This kind of ended up set in the early 1900s, maybe about 1920s or 1930s. It's not explicitly stated in the story because I didn't know exactly when and I didn't want to deal with researching stuff but just keep that in mind. This is just going to be a short little ficlet, I've divided up into 5 chapters and I'll update them throughout the next few weeks since I'm off for Thanksgiving this week and to finish it off early. As always, this will be posted on AO3 as well as and also on my tumblr, which is on my profile for those who don't know. Anyway, here.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

When Alice had been a child, her mother had always warned her to stay far from the seaside. There were dangerous creatures who lived in the depths of the sea, they will come to the surface and break the glassy ocean surface. They will take you away and trap you under the water until all you can see is black and everything is cold and you can't breathe anymore. That's what she said at least.

Her father was a sailor, which is why they lived near the ocean anyway. He was gone for months to far away lands, leaving Alice and her mother and her younger brother, Peter who usually occupied all her mother's time. It wasn't that Alice minded, she said. She didn't have any friends, she didn't go to school, but was tutored by her mother. She was quite lonely, but Alice would lie to everyone who even suspected it. Even herself.

The ocean, Alice found, was a sanctuary. When she was fed up with Peter's whining or her mother's nagging or just the silence of their home, she would disappear. The blond always found herself pulled back to the water's edge, where the waves crashed into the sand that tickled her toes because on the beach there was no need for any shoes.

Her home was a simple older house, set on a not so tall cliff. There were stairs from the house that led down to a gate with the ocean just past it. In between large rocks there was a short stretch of beach with khaki sand and sometimes even seashells. Alice used to collect them when she was little and her father took her down to the water just a few times, before he was gone again. A jar of them still sat on a shelf in her bedroom, now with a layer of dust because it had been forgotten a long time ago.

Her family very rarely ever came to their secret ocean side. Her mother didn't like the water, she didn't like Alice going out there either, but at seventeen Alice was too old to be frightened of silly stories. They couldn't scare her away anymore. Her mother didn't let Peter out either. The blond didn't mind that, Peter would interrupt the peace. Alice could count on one hand how many times she had come down to the beach with someone else, but the times she was alone were countless.

She found herself out there alone often, for it was a quick walk from her house. The blond would bring a book to sit alone and get lost in the story or she would just sit with her head on her knees and stare out at the watery horizon. Sometimes she thought of her father, far far away, too far for her emerald eyes to see. Sometimes she wondered what else was out there, beyond the smooth surface and the blue sea and sky.

Sometimes she felt more at home in this little stretch of ocean and alone than she felt up there in that house with her mother and brother and rarely her father.

Alice shut the door to her house quietly. Her mother was playing with Peter. She knew Alice went out there, but she had stopped saying things about it by now. It was still easier to slip away without a word than to even say out loud where she was going. A small book was in her hand, fading pages because it was old and had already been used when Alice had bought it from the bookstore in town.

She walked down the steps, noticing where they creaked and the sand that had been swept up the last few steps by a breeze. Alice stopped on the last one, staring at her little world that no one had interrupted in long time.

The blond could only see his left side. He hadn't noticed her watching yet. He was in the water by the rocks, it was deeper there, his lower half was hidden by the dark ocean. Although his top half wasn't anything to be forgotten. She could see his tanned skin that almost seemed a little shiny at some angles of sunlight. He looked strong and muscular. His hair was a golden color probably when dry, but now it was a darker blond, beads of water dripping onto the sand from the ends. There were weird lines on his neck and he was wearing some sort of crown, made of seashells and coral. It was beautiful nonetheless. He was just as handsome, Alice had to admit.

He was pressed against a rock, stretching out a long arm trying to reach a spiral shell that had been pushed up in the sand by high tide. The tips of his hair looked like they had just barely begun to turn blue. Not enough to be striking, at the short length his hair was, but it was more noticeable as she got closer to him.

"It might be easier if you got out of the water." Alice said. She stood just a few feet from the shell.

He froze, and looked up at her slowly with eyes, his beautiful eyes moving up carefully. His eyes were gorgeous as well, Alice had to notice. They were that perfect mix of the sky and ocean behind him, the wide, sparkling blue.

Alice took a few more steps, took the shell in her hand, and walked closer and squatted at the edge of the rocks. She held out her pale arm, as much time she spent out here, she could never tan. She offered the spiral to him.

He took it slowly without a word, turning it over in his hands. Alice looked him over even closer. "Thanks." He finally whispered.

"I've never seen anyone else out here before." He only looked back to her, seeming like he was unsure about what to say back. "What's your name?" Alice asked.

They were both silent while they waited for his answer. "Alfred."

"I'm Alice." She smiled slightly at him and he carefully returned it. She wasn't sure why he hadn't climbed out of the water yet. It couldn't be comfortable in this mid-winter weather.

The ocean breeze blew her long hair and tilted his crown. Alice reached out and fixed it, it was wet with ocean water. "Where's the crown from? You a king of something?" She joked when he looked puzzled at her touching him, but he hadn't stopped her.

"No, prince."

"Well, hello, Your Majesty." He blushed at her and closed his fist around the shell.

"I have to go." He said suddenly, looking behind him at the water, like it would rise up and take him right then and there.

"To where?" She asked.

"I'll come back, Alice." Alfred didn't answer her question. He smiled a soft smile at her and ducked beneath the water's surface.

Alice furrowed her eyebrows a minute later when he didn't break the surface again. The blond climbed over the rocks to where he had been. She couldn't see him underneath the surface. The soft waves splashed against the rocks and the spray hit her bare feet. Alfred was gone.


	2. Blue & Gold

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

Alice had never been able to swim, her parents hadn't ever taught her. She didn't even think her mother knew how and her father was always away. She hadn't ever been curious enough to attempt it alone. There was no incentive to knowing how. When she was young it was her mother's stories keeping her away from the edge, when she got older it wasn't worth it. She hadn't cared enough before.

Now, Alice was perched on a rock, the one he had leaning on, staring at the water below. It had been a week. She had spent every free second waiting here. He had said he would come back, but most people didn't just disappear beneath the ocean and not come up again. He could've been a dream, but he had been so real. She didn't even know where he had come from, who he was. He was a stranger to her.

Even though, there were those strangers, the one who you said five words to and you knew. She knew. She and him were meant to be something more. He had invaded her sanctuary, but she somehow found that she didn't really mind.

So she leaned closer to the water's edge. Only her own face looked back at her, a few clouds became her background. Alice reached out her hand, because maybe if she could touch the water where he had been, he would come back. She hadn't realized her foot had slipped on the damp rock before it was too late.

All she could do above the surface was scream quickly, but no one heard her. Everyone else was in a world somewhere else. The splash was large and the cold water chilled her to her core. Alice had enough to sense to hold her breath as she tried to fight her way to top again.

The sunshine above mocked her. It smiled as she struggled. The water was too thick and she was sinking too fast. Her eyes stung from the salty water and her throat burned as the sunlight became too far away. She was going to die. She was going to die a watery death. No one would even know what happened to her.

Suddenly she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, so different than the cold, suffocating water. She jerked around and saw a pair of pretty blue eyes. Alfred.

He said something under the water but she had no idea what he said. No bubbles escaped his mouth. He hugged her close and she felt the water move around her. His body was warm, but her head hurt. They broke the surface and Alice took a deep breath of air, relief flooding her as she could breathe again. She wasn't going to die yet.

Alice breathed heavily, still wrapped around Alfred, taking his warmth. Her feet brushed against something in the water, something smooth, but she wasn't sure what it was yet. She was more focused pushing air through her lungs and his closeness.

"Are you okay?" She heard him say softly, close to her ear.

"Yes." Alice breathed, burying her face in his neck.

"What were you doing?" Alfred asked, his arms still wrapped around her waist.

"Looking for you."

"I said I was coming back. You could've died." He scoffed. Alice realized the lines on his neck weren't just lines, they were almost like flaps, or gills. "Humans can't breathe underwater, you know."

"What?" Alice looked up at him, still tangled in his arms. His eyes met hers. Her thin arms wrapped around his neck, brushing against the lines.

"Humans can't breathe underwater." Alfred repeated.

"I-I know." Alice said softly, she looked down into the water. She could see their bodies pressed close together. Below that though, Alice saw her own legs, partly kicking in the water, but Alfred didn't have legs. He had a long golden and blue scaled tail. A mermaid. He was a mermaid.

He brought her back to the surface and she sat in the sand near the waves. He lingered at the rocks, he seemed to like those.

"You're a mermaid. Why didn't you say you were a mermaid? I didn't even know mermaids were real!" Alice exclaimed, the sand stuck to her wet clothes and her pigtails fell limply at her shoulders.

"Mermen is what they call us actually." Alfred said. He rested his head on his arms on the rocks.

"Whatever you are! Why didn't you say anything?!" She retorted.

The golden blond gave her a half shrug. "It was the first time we actually met. I didn't want to scare you off."

Alice wrung out a pigtail but stopped and looked at him. "First time we actually met?"

He blushed and hid his face a little more in his arms. "I've seen you around here a couple of times. It wasn't like I was looking for humans to spy on! If I had wanted that, I'd go to the docks. But I just saw you, and I've never seen a human before, and I thought you were really beautiful so I just watched you, just for a little bit. And then I couldn't help coming back and I was going to make you a present and leave it here so I was collecting shells but you saw me and I panicked and I can't be gone from home for too long or my parents will get worried." Alfred took a deep breath as he finished rambling.

Alice couldn't help but blush and smile at his words, even if it was a little strange. He was a merman though and that was strange enough. He thought she was beautiful.

They were silent for a few more minutes, Alice was watching the ocean, but looked over at Alfred instead. He was tracing a part of the rock he was resting on.

"What are you prince of?" The blond teen asked. He looked up at her.

"Oh, down there, my kingdom. I'm prince of them. They say I'll be king someday." The merman pointed into the water. Alice couldn't see anything where he pointed though.

"They say?" She asked and the other blond smiled to himself.

"Yeah, I don't really want to though."

"And what else would you rather do?"

"Get to know you."


	3. Something Crazy

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

"Alfred?" The blond shut the gate behind her and walked over to the rocks where his head broke the surface.

"Hey!" He smiled at her. Alice rolled her eyes and sat on the rock near him. She set the glass jar on the rock in front of him and his blue eyes got brighter. "Wow! You brought them!" He cried, taking the jar in his hands.

Alice laughed as he ducked just under the surface where she could still see him clean off the jar in the water and open it, the air that was trapped inside coming up in bubbles. She saw his golden hair twist in the water as he inspected the shells. He popped up above the water again. "These are perfect, you're sure I can have them?"

"Sure, they'll be mine again when you give me whatever you're making, won't they?" She asked. He nodded and set the jar on the rocks. Alfred removed his crown as well and set it beside the jar from her bedroom.

"Yep, still working on it though, so be patient." Alfred said.

"Are you going to tell me what it is at least?"

"Nope."

Alice scoffed but smiled. "Fine then. I guess I'll just have to take this until then." She teased, taking his crown he had left.

Alfred rested his head in his hand and shrugged. "Go ahead, my mom is the one who makes me wear it everywhere."

"You're a prince, a merman prince. Don't you want to show it off?" Alice said, running a finger along the shells. It quite expertly crafted together, beautiful as well. Alfred had said that it had been created for him when he was born.

"I'd rather not." Alfred laughed and Alice smiled too. The water splashed up and hit her skirt, but she didn't care. He pulled himself up and lied on the rocks, staring at the sky. It was these occasions Alice got to fully see Alfred, usually hidden by the water.

His crown remained in her lap as she glanced over him, making sure he didn't notice. He had broad shoulders and strong arms that she liked wrapped around her. He had nice abs too, she couldn't ignore that. His scales shined in the sun. His tail was mostly blue but some parts of it was gold as well. He had said before that he hated having a blue tail, it didn't stand out against the ocean waters. She told him blue was her favorite color. It hadn't been before she met him. The tip of his tail still was in the water, splashing water onto the rocks every once in a while.

"Hey, tell me something crazy you'd like to do. Like, if you could do anything in the whole world, what would it be?" Alfred asked suddenly. Alice quickly looked back to his face. He looked upside down to her. She dipped her feet in the ocean water and adjusted her position.

Alice knew her answer right now. She just didn't want to tell him. "You first." She said. Alfred scoffed.

"I asked you first."

"Well I'm not answering until you answer me." The human returned.

He pretended to be mad to make her smile but answered anyway. "I'd wanna fly."

"Fly?"

"Yeah. I'd wanna be able to fly. Like the seagulls. The sky just seems so big from down here." Alice could've made a comment about how ironic that was, he lived in the ocean, the furthest thing from the sky, yet that was his dream. The ocean was big, too. It held secrets she'd never know, it seemed so big, trapped here on the shore. She didn't say anything though. "Your turn."

Alice sighed. She looked back to the crown in her lap, running her finger over the lines in shells and the gemstones that sparkles when the sunlight hit it just right. "Why do you hang out with me?"

"That's not an answer." The prince said. Alice didn't look at him, knowing if she was silent long enough he would answer what she so desperately wanted to know. "I like spending time with you." He finally answered.

"But why?" Alice asked again. "You have a whole kingdom down there and people, mermaids or mermen or whatever you call them. They love you but you spend all your time up here with me. I'm not interesting enough to attract the attention of an ocean prince." She whispered the last part, but he must have heard her anyway.

Alfred sat up and scooted closer. He took his crown from her lap and set aside. Alice glanced up and found him the merman shockingly close. There were specks of gold in those blue, blue eyes that she had never noticed before. "But you did. You caught my attention. I don't know if you realize that I'd give up that whole kingdom down there to spend every second up here with you."

Alice gazed at him for a second before she leaned forward and shut her eyes. She felt his lips press against hers and suddenly the closeness wasn't scary anymore. It was safe. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her closer. They broke apart for a second before he kissed her again and she smiled against his lips.

They finally broke away because they still needed air after all. Then Alice answered his question. "I'd be your princess." The human murmured, looking away from those blue eyes. "That's crazy, isn't it?"

"No, it's not." Alfred whispered. His fingers intertwined with hers.

On a different summer day, Alice kicked the water softly, it had gotten a little warmer in the new season. Alfred had said his birthday was in the warmer months, but they didn't have the same months as humans so he couldn't explain the exact day.

The blond felt a tug on her ankle and she yelped, digging her fingernails into the rocky surface. Alfred popped up and grinned at her. Alice furrowed her eyebrows and splashed water on his face, barely fazing him.

"That wasn't funny." She hissed.

He kept beaming at her. "I thought it was."

"I could've fallen in." Alice said.

"I wouldn't have let you drown." Alfred returned. He sat on the rock next to her, they both stared out at the wide ocean horizon. Alfred straightened up and smiled again. She noticed him keeping one hand hidden from her view. "I've got something for you."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Close your eyes." Alice gave him a skeptical look and the merman grinned. "Do it!" He insisted.

The blond teenager scoffed but shut her eyes anyway. The view of the ocean gone, but it was no less there. There was the salty smell all around her and the breeze that blew her clothes and tangled her hair. There were birds that flew over them and cawed every once in a while, but they never had a reason to land. Alice felt Alfred reach over and he was doing something on the top of her hair.

He kissed her softly and Alice kept her eyes closed but returned his kiss. His lips were very soft, he had said at some point the salty water he lived in his whole life kept his skin soft. He broke away but she could still feel his warm breath on her skin.

"You can open your eyes now." Alfred said softly. Alice opened her eyes and found him inches from her.

"What did you do?" She smiled, reaching up to the top of her head where there was a new weight. He shrugged with a mischievous smirk. Alice took it and pulled it out of her hair. She looked at it in surprise. It was a crown, made of seashells and starfish. Unlike Alfred's, she noticed, it was more like a half circle tiara than a full circle crown like he had. Although it was arranged in a way that reminded her of his. Almost like they were made together.

"I was going to make you a necklace, but I decided to make that, it's like mine. That way you can be a princess, too." He said shyly. Alice felt her face heat and Alfred smiled softly. "Do you like it?"

Alice nodded quickly and set it on her head again. She wrapped her arms around him and he laughed and hugged her back. "I love it, thank you."

"You're welcome."

For a while they just sat there in each other's arms. The crashing of the waves was loud in her ears and the whole world smelled like salt. Her clothes and hair were wet from him and the sea foam kicking up with every wave and she could just see the ocean behind him. His whole world was down there, and she had never even seen it. Her whole world was right here in a little secret part of the beach, a part that no one else has ever known quite like her.

She'd never be his princess. He couldn't stay up here forever nor could she stay down there with him. They hadn't dealt with that yet. For now they just held each other, prince and princess of a hidden sanctuary by the sea.


	4. Moonshine

**So I'm debating on whether I want to do a different ending, which would mean just one more chapter, or just leave it at this. I've tried writing the last chapter but it's not working out and I feel like this could be a good end too. Please tell me your opinion below if you have one, I'm really torn! Sorry for posting this so late.**

 **Anne: Thanks so much! I'm so glad you like these! I actually made the aesthetics myself and they've got quotes from the stories on them, too. Just a random thing I like to do. Anyway thanks for reading!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

Her father had returned from his year long trip away at sea. Her mother had been excited but Peter was too young to understand really. Too young to really understand the man who called himself their father. Alice didn't care really. That was until he offered to take her into town.

"It'll be some quality time together, you know, the father daughter stuff I've missed." He had said.

"I'd rather not." Alice had answered, curled up in an armchair and waiting for a chance to sneak off to the little beach. She had played with the corner of her old book with yellowing pages. She didn't read much anymore. Other things were more important.

"What else are you doing, darling? You can't rather going down to the ocean than going into town. I know I never take you." Her mother had argued.

Alice could go into town whenever she wanted, but the real thing is that she didn't want to. Why go there when she could just stay here? "I don't really want to go."

"Nonsense, we can go and I'll get you one of those silly books you love." She knew he had no idea where the bookstore was.

That was how she found herself in the middle of a crowed street, already beginning to smell like alcohol. There was nearby docks, where all the sailors got off and came here to party and drink. The lights were obnoxious and it was chilling in the early autumn night.

She had told Alfred she wouldn't be able to see him as much for the next few days. Her father might wander down to the beach while her mother stayed away. She couldn't risk anyone finding out about him, them. Her seashell tiara sat on a shelf where the jar used to be.

"Oh look, there's a buddy of mine!" Her father exclaimed, tugging on her arm. Alice and him walked up to a few men outside one of the bars. They quickly started talking and Alice sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. At sea with these men for a year and he still wanted to chat for hours in the streets with them.

The bright neon lights were giving her a headache, along with the every so often car that sped past on the cobblestone street. The signs of every color flashed and blinked and wouldn't stop. There were people at every direction. Some men were already drunkenly stumbling about. There were the rare few women, probably waiting around to be taken home or to get lucky. There were people rushing home as the night took its place in the town.

Alice glanced back to her father, now telling some story she didn't care to hear. She looked back the street and noticed a store window on the other side of the street. The blond made sure her father was still occupied and walked over to the glass. There were reflections of the lights, little shiny dots of every color and a few mannequins were on display with the latest fashion. They were smiling fake, painted smiles at her through the glass.

She had never cared much for certain clothes. Fashion didn't mean a great deal to her. A tipsy man tripped past her, mumbling to himself. Attractive. Alice wrinkled her nose at the stench of beer lingering on his clothes.

"You." Alice jumped at the voice and looked away from the man. Next to the shop window there was a darkened wall, where the other building jutted out from the line. A woman stood in the dark.

The woman had long tangled grey hair, with random silver strands. She wore a layer outfit of many colors and fabrics. Alice couldn't tell if it was a dress or something else. She smelled like salt and seawater. The woman looked at her and smiled a knowing look. Her face crinkled.

"Yes, you for sure." She croaked. Alice hugged herself a little tighter.

"Pardon? I don't know what you mean." The blond said.

The woman waved her over closer into the shade. "Come here."

Alice glanced across the street where her father hadn't noticed she was gone. The teen stepped forward and the woman held out her hand. She was silent until Alice realized she was asking for hers. Alice set her hand in the woman's wrinkled one. She ran fingers over the lines in her hand.

"Oh yes, you. You have been touched by the ocean, haven't you?" She asked.

Alice frowned. "I don't know-"

"Oh, of course you don't." The woman interrupted, still touching her hand. "You have been picked by a creature of the sea, hm?"

The blond looked at the woman in confusion. She thought of Alfred immediately, but how could this random woman know about him. "It is a great gift, to be chosen by one of the water. Strange things will happen whenever that is case. The ocean likes to pick favorites, you know."

"I still don't understand."

"They never do. But you will. Soon, I can see it."

Alice pulled her hand from the woman. "I have to go." She stepped backwards from the woman, still watching her creased smile.

"Watch it!" Someone barked behind her as Alice stumbled into an angry man.

"Sorry!" She called to him as he stormed off. The teenager looked back to the shade of the wall and found it empty, simply dirty with sand, blown up from the beach.

Alice looked back to the other side of the street and saw it empty of her father. The blond sighed and hurried across the street to find him. He must have slipped into one of the bars without her noticing. Apparently he didn't notice her either. She knew he didn't want to come for her.

An hour later Alice was still alone. She had searched every bar, block, and street and her father was no where to be found. She walked down to the docks where the large ships were docked. The wooden deck creaked as she walked.

Her reasoning had been that maybe he had gone back to his ship with some friends, but she had no idea which one was his. Alice just hoped that maybe being close to the water would bring him. Alfred had said there were mermaids who watched the humans on the docks. Maybe he would be here, maybe she wouldn't feel so lonely. Although she knew it was the middle of the night and the only living things out here were her and the rats. She just wanted to find her father and go home.

"Hey pretty girl!" A voice shouted behind her. Alice sighed and looked behind her. There was a man who was tripping over his own old leather shoes and obviously had had too many drinks tonight. "You look pretty lonely out here alone."

"No, actually, I'm looking for my father. His name is Christopher Kirkland, have you seen him?" She called as he got closer. She could smell the alcohol from there, but he didn't stop getting closer to her. Alice was already close to the edge, with no fence or rail to catch her.

"Nope! All I've see is you. You look like you need a friend." He smiled and she saw holes where teeth should be.

"No, I'm just looking for my father."

"I got a ship out here, I got some real good booze, how 'bout you join me?" His sticky hand grabbed her forearm.

"No, I just want to go home."

"Come on, pretty girl."

"Let me go!"

"Come on! How 'bout you come with me?"

He tugged on her again and Alice tried to free herself, but he wouldn't let go. She could feel his hot breath on her skin. She hit him in the face with her elbow in her thrashing and he cursed loudly. His grip on her slackened, but in her haste to pull away she didn't realize how close to the edge she was. Her shoe slipped on the wet wood planks and she was falling. She was weightless in the air, before crashing into the hard water.

It was like that time when she had fallen into the water at her little beach. But the water was shallower there, and Alfred had saved her that time. She didn't feel a sharp pain when her head smashed against a rock and shocked a last breath of air out of her that time.

She didn't watch the bubbles float the surface and the moonlight shine above that time. Refracting through the water. Shining from a place she couldn't reach anymore.


	5. Favorites

**I don't know any mermaid myths or anything. This was just a little way I made up, kind of playing on that idea that sirens are the women thrown off ships. I just can't handle a sad ending so here you go. I enjoyed this little story, sorry it took so long for me to decide to post the last chapter, but I hope you guys did too.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

Alfred jerked awake, glancing around. A seagull's caw above had woken him, the white bird circling in the sky. He must've fallen asleep on the rock, still waiting for Alice. His hair was nearly dry. He had been asleep longer than he thought.

Alfred looked around the little beach one last time. There was the large cliff wall and the gate that Alice always opened. The waves softly crashed against the sand and the rocks were starting to dry from low tide. Two whole weeks had passed since any human had walked this beach.

The prince hadn't seen Alice in a week. She had said that she might not be able to come down as often, since her father had returned from his ship, but two weeks had come and gone and there was no sign of her. The last he had heard was that she was going into town with her father and she hadn't sounded like she wanted to go.

He sunk beneath the water again, he couldn't stay out here forever. Someone might get worried. When they got worried, they started looking. He couldn't risk anyone finding out about here. Even if Alice wasn't here anymore, it was still a different world. It was somewhere that no one but him and her were allowed in.

Maybe she had found some human boy she liked better than him. Alfred liked to think that they meant more to each other than that, but who knew what Alice thought. Maybe she was trapped in her house, because her parents wouldn't let her out anymore. Alfred could see the house up in the cliff further from the shore, the winding steps that led all the way to the top. The home was curvy under the water, pale and yellow.

The merman sighed, watching a few bubbles escaped to the surface, the last air he had left. Of course he didn't need it, he had gills to breathe underwater, but he had lungs as well. He could stay above the surface in the air forever he guessed. Sensibility told him he couldn't, but Alice made him think he could.

He swam around the land's edge for a while, having nothing else to do. He saw a few other merfolk. No one he knew, but they all knew him. He was the prince, everyone knew him. Alfred ended up at a cave under the water, nestled in a cliff side not far from the docks.

This cave was fairly popular, as everyone who wanted to watch humans always gathered here. There were girls who wore too many pearls and shells who giggled over the men working above. There were the ones who were there for curiosity, the humans fascinated them. Alfred on the other hand had no idea why he was there. No human other than Alice had ever interested him.

When they saw him they got a little quieter, a few bowing or saying simple words to him when he passed. Alfred just gave them a half smile and sat on a rock at the floor of the ocean a little far from the cave. They were too scared to talk to him. The crown scared them away. The crown hadn't ever scared Alice.

Alfred stared at the thick poles holding up the wooden walkway. There were fish swimming around them and barnacles growing on the old wood. The bottom of ships created almond shapes in the water. If he had any desire he could swim to the top of the water and hear snippets of the humans' conversations. He knew better than that.

Every child was taught at the youngest age to stay away from the surface. The humans weren't allowed to see them. They would fish them out of the sea and hang them out to dry. They could only keep their tails out of the water for so long. He had always stayed away from the surface before her. When he saw her on that beach, looking so lonely, that's when he knew he couldn't really keep away any longer.

"You look quite lonely over here, my prince." Alfred glanced behind him quickly and saw an older mermaid swim up.

She had long grey hair, floating around her in the water. Her skin had lots of lines and her top was hidden by a variety of fabrics, some looked human, while other were definitely mermish. Her tail was a grey color, the fins looking quite worn and thin.

"No, I'm fine."

"Are you really?"

Alfred didn't answer her. He wasn't okay, because Alice was gone and he had little to no way of knowing how and why.

"Strange creatures." She said, Alfred looked at her and raised an eyebrow and she clarified. "The humans. They are strange."

"Not all of them."

"So it was you."

"What?"

"You have loved a human."

Alfred turned toward her with a shocked look. "I-"

"Several nights ago, I met a young woman who had been touched by the ocean. I was wondered who among us could have loved her that truly and strongly. I wouldn't have guessed it would be you, Your Highness." She explained simply.

"You met Alice?" He asked softly. He didn't think to ask how.

"Was that her name? I don't believe she ever told me." The older mermaid pondered.

"She has long light hair and she's pale and dotted. Her eyes too, they're like gems. Like the green ones, you find in the east. Her? Did you meet her?" Alfred asked frantically. She smiled knowingly and nodded.

"Yes, her. Touched by the sea."

"Where is she?"

The woman hummed, looking around. "She is here."

"What, like on the docks?" Alfred asked, already up and ready to swim up to the docks without caring what he was warned as a child.

She smiled. "Oh no, she is down here now."

Alfred stopped and frowned at her. "What does that mean?"

"Strange things happen to those blessed by the ocean. Of course, something must be given for a miracle to happen." Alfred glanced back to the mermaid to see her swimming away toward the crowd of merfolk clustered in the cave.

The mermish prince looked back to the docks, where the sea plants floated in the water and the sunlight shined through the surface. He frowned softly, still puzzled by the old mermaid's words.

After a good while the sun began to set, the sky above becoming dimmer. Alfred abandoned his rock and began to swim toward his home. The main part of his kingdom, including the castle, was farther from land, deeper in the water. He was nearing the castle when another mermaid swam into him. He floated backwards, startled and glaring at whoever had bumped into him.

"Hey, what's your-" Alfred suddenly stopped, his eyes widening as he saw her face. The mermaid had a shiny green tail with the occasional silver scales, her hair long and silky and light , fanning out around her in the water. Her skin was pale and dotted, and her eyes were the color of gems.

"Sorry." She blushed, glancing at him and then hugging herself. "I'm not sure exactly where I am." She said in that accent the humans all seemed to have.

Alfred could feel tears in the corners of his eyes, no one else would be able to see under the water, but he could feel it. "Alice?" He breathed, carefully approaching her.

The prince couldn't understand how she was here. Had she done some deal with a witch and gotten a tail? Or was she just a look alike? She looked just like her, Alfred couldn't help for his heart to skip, beating faster like it always did when he was with her. He reached out and took her hand, calloused from use above the water. He had to force himself to not reach out and hold her in his arms right there.

A look of confusion crossed her face. "How do you know my name?" She asked, eyes flickering to his hand holding hers.

"It's me! Alfred! Oh, and it's you!" Alfred grinned, giving into his desire to hug her, holding her closely and kissing her hair. "You were gone for so long, I thought something awful must had happened!" He was silent for a minute, simply relishing in her touch. "I love you so much." The prince whispered, burying her face in her neck feeling gills along with her soft hair.

Alice's voice was gentle, softer in the water. "Who are you?"

 **And I must finish it at that, or this will turn into a 30 chapter forever WIP. The idea is that instead of Alice dying last chapter, the ocean decided to turn her into a mermaid, because Alfred loved her, but to pay for the miracle, she lost her memory. So that is Alice, but she just doesn't remember anything about being human or Alfred. If I did ever continue this (which I may if it's super popular, or just add on another one-shot or two) she would probably regain some of her memories at some point, either from Alfred or magic or whatever. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this story (and long awaited conclusion)! Don't forget to favorite, follow, kudos, and review!**


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